State worker Reddit is hotbed of discontent after Newsom’s new order. What are people saying?
Good morning and welcome to the A.M. Alert!
ICYMI: STATE WORKERS REELING AFTER RTO MANDATE
On Monday, Gov. Gavin Newsom announced state workers would be expected to come back to the office four days a week starting July 1.
“This executive order reinforces California’s commitment to operational efficiency and high-quality public service,” said the release from the Governor’s Office, adding the order will increase collaboration, mentorship and oversight of staff.
As my colleague Will Melhado reports, many state workers are not happy. Some other reactions:
Assemblymember Josh Hoover, R-Folsom, who last year ordered an audit of Newsom’s two-day-per-week return-to-office policy: “Rather than waiting for the state auditor to do his work, the governor has now decided to expand the mandate with a one-size-fits-all approach that harms state workers and makes California less competitive with the private sector.”
SEIU Local 1000 President Anica Walls: “California is the tech capital of the world, yet our own state government is clinging to outdated policies instead of embracing the modern workplace.”
The Reddit page is a hotbed of discontent and critiques: “Go into the office four days a week for what? So I can send emails from there instead?” -Reddit user ‘crazylolcrazy’
HOPE FOR FAMILIES IN COLD CASES
Janiesha Grisham says across her social media it’s a familiar sight: Instagram posts from families wanting justice for a loved one who was killed.
Often, they count down how many days it’s been since they spoke to a detective or got an update about their case. Grisham is a violence-prevention educator for the nonprofit Youth Alive! in Oakland.
In her case, she says she’s been waiting 5,177 days for answers about the death of her brother, Christopher, who was killed in December 2010.
Assembly Bill 15 could set up a system for her to take action. The bill passed in the Assembly Public Safety Committee Tuesday and will go to the committee on appropriations.
The bill would:
- Allow certain family members of the deceased to request a law enforcement agency review the cold case after one year.
- Ensure a review looks into certain parts of the case and assesses whether a reinvestigation is warranted. If so, a new investigator must handle it. If not, a new review can’t be requested for five years unless new evidence emerges.
- Require the law enforcement agency to communicate with the requester through the review and reinvestigation process.
AB 15 was introduced by Assemblymember Mike Gipson, D-Carson, himself waiting for answers in the 1989 hit-and-run killing of his 3-year-old son, D’Ancee.
“It set up a process to allow a second set of eyes, a fresh lens, if you will, of another detective to come in and say, ‘Well, we haven’t looked at this,’ ‘Well, let’s look at this particular situation,’” he said.
If it sounds familiar, the legislation was introduced last year, too, as Assembly Bill 2913. That also passed the committee and was sent to appropriations. It was given a price tag in the millions to tens of millions to implement annually, and held in the suspense file.
The bill is opposed by the California State Sheriffs Association, which argues the prescribed process is too rigid and doesn’t account for the responding law enforcement agency’s capacity.
QUOTE OF THE DAY
“IT TAKES A VILLAGE — After School is Part of That!” -Sign of an unknown marcher in Sacramento Tuesday morning protesting the proposed cuts to federal funding for after-school care.
Best of The Bee:
California state workers react to Newsom’s return-to-office order: ‘How does this help us?’ via Will Melhado
Republicans removed from California legislative committees. Did social media play a role? via Nicole Nixon and Kate Wolffe
The ‘Undercover Boss’ running for governor: His plan to make California more affordable via Nicole Nixon
This story was originally published March 5, 2025 at 4:55 AM with the headline "State worker Reddit is hotbed of discontent after Newsom’s new order. What are people saying?."
